Toilet Paper

I think we can all agree that toilet paper is one of life's necessities. I can only think of a handful of days in my life that I didn't use toilet paper, and they are all while I was hiking the Appalachian Trail and ran out. Proper plant identification is a conversation for another time.

I have used a lot of toilet paper in my life and I'm confident that anyone else reading this has too, since the average American uses 23.6 rolls of toilet every year. Countrywide, we're at about 36.5 billion rolls annually.

Isn't paper biodegradable?

It is! So this week is less about landfill-bound waste and more about wasting resources.

So what's the problem with toilet paper?

As you probably already know, toilet paper comes from trees... a lot of trees. Worldwide, an estimated 27,000 trees are cut down every day, just for toilet paper.

I want to briefly go over the negative effects of deforestation as mentioned in an article by Sciencing.com:

• Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon dioxide are the leading cause of climate change. Trees release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide... unless they are cut down.
• Soil Erosion - Roots from trees and other plants keep soil compact. When forests are removed, the soil loses it's anchor, making way for erosion and in serious cases, disastrous mudslides.
• Water Cycle Disruption - Trees soak up water from the ground which they release into the atmosphere during photosynthesis. That moisture eventually becomes rain, which goes back into the ground and our oceans. When large swaths of trees are removed, the land can become barren and dry.
• Biodiversity Losses - Deforestation alters the landscape too quickly for plants and animals to cope, so many do not survive.

Popular brands like Charmin, Cottonelle, and Quilted Northern all use virgin pulp for their products, meaning it contains no recycled material. The production of this virgin pulp emits 30% more greenhouse emissions than recycled material.

On top of that, 37 gallons of water are needed to produce one single roll of toilet paper and annual toilet paper production requires 473,587,500,000 gallons of water.

Can toilet paper be recycled?

Toilet paper is not generally accepted for recycling since the fibers are not sufficient to make new products. Toilet paper rolls, however, can and should be recycled or repurposed.

Is there a more sustainable option?

Of course! Toilet paper made from recycled materials, bidets, and family cloth can all help make your bathroom visits more environmentally friendly. Check out my post 4 Sustainable Toilet Paper Alternatives for a closer look at each of these.